Patient Care

At Southeastern Med in Cambridge, Ohio, patient care is our highest priority. From testing and procedures to nutrition and medication management, there’s a lot that goes into your care while you’re in the hospital.

One of the main priorities of our patient care is to prevent the spread of infection.

We have many procedures in place, such as washing and sanitizing our hands before and after a patient visit and cleaning patient rooms daily.

And in 2011, Southeastern Med scored at and above the state and national averages for surgical care quality measures regarding infection prevention.

Outside visitors can spread infection, too, so we ask that everyone clean their hands when entering or leaving a hospital room. Our visitation policy does not allow visitors with colds or other illnesses.

Medication Administration

As part of your patient care, you may be given medication, so it’s important for us to be aware of any potential interactions. Tell your healthcare team about any and all medications you are taking, even if they seem insignificant, such as over-the-counter pain relievers, allergy medications or vitamins.

Your Southeastern Med healthcare team will be checking on you regularly, so be sure to communicate any side affects you may experience.

Pain Management

Pain management is one of the ways we keep you comfortable during your stay. Your health care team will discuss your pain control goals with you and administer medication accordingly.

Be forthcoming with them and tell them if you are experiencing pain and to what level it hurts. Describe your pain using words such as sharp, dull, aching, stinging, or burning, etc. Be specific about the location and intensity of the pain and if moving or breathing makes it better or worse.

We’ll continually evaluate your pain management services to make you as comfortable as possible.

Condition H

Another critical component to your patient care is something we call Condition Help, or Condition H. If you or family members need to notify us of a change in your condition or request emergency assistance, dial 77 from your room phone and press the nurse call light. Our operator will ask for the patient name, room number, and concern. The operator will then activate Condition H and a patient care team will be immediately alerted to come to your room and assess the situation.

Advance Directives

Advance directives such as Durable Power of Attorney and a Living Will are ways to express your healthcare wishes. Advance directives allow everyone involved in your patient care, including your healthcare team and your family, to know your wishes before treatment occurs. They are especially helpful in the event that you can’t communicate your wishes.If you do have an advance directive, we’ll need to have a copy of it on file, and someone from your patient care team will review it with you to be sure it expresses your current wishes.

If you don’t have an advance directive on file, we can provide you with information to help you control the extent and intensity of your care. If you’d like information on advance directives, tell your nurse or contact our Pastoral Care (ext. 8190) or Social Services (ext. 8117) departments.

Transition to Home

As much as we love your company, you’ll be ready to go home soon. At this point, your nurse will talk with you about your transition to home. He or she will give you and your support person a list of medications and instructions, as well as any documentation for follow-up appointments. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you have.

If you need help at home, you may qualify for a home health agency representative to visit you. Southeastern Home Care is an affiliate of Southeastern Med offering nursing services, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, home health aides, and more. We’ll help you get the necessary referrals and file any paperwork needed to arrange for your transition to home.